Order and Chaos

"I... love you too"

It was more than I could bear.

My one remaining eye filled with tears as I thought about all this nation had done for me. Though I was an orphan from a foreign land, they took me in as one of their own.

A more cynical man than I might have thought they only wanted me so that I could see for them. But I knew these people. To them, vision was no necessity. For generations, they had lived with blindness and learned to adapt. And yet, they never thought of me, with my gift of sight, as any different from a native son.

I could not help but express my gratitude. I told them that I loved them all, and how upset I was with myself. Not merely for failing them, but for not trusting them.

And so, I vowed to tell them everything, to swear that I had seen it with my own eyes, when I still had two.

I told them of the assassin who had appeared from nowhere, thrust a gun in my hands with impossible speed, and fired before I could even process what was happening. They vanished just as suddenly.

Now that I spoke of it, it seemed bizarre. Why did they go to such lengths to hide? No one could see them but myself and their victim. Were they somehow unaware of the mass blindness? Were they being excessively cautious?

But if they were being cautious, why did they allow me to see them? Did they think me blind, as well? Or did they not care, knowing my words would be dismissed as the ravings of a madman?

Whatever the reason, I agreed to surrender myself to the delegation once they arrived. I doubted they would show mercy, or believe my story, but I had no other choice.

I was given an eyepatch, and some salve to ease the pain in my wounded eye. Then all I could do was wait for the ambassador to arrive.

Before long, he did. I told him my story, though I knew he would not believe me. I told him I was turning myself over to his nation, that it was up to them to decide my fate. I begged him not to use this tragedy as cause for war.

He looked down towards me, and said...